HK $1,000,000 Main Event
Day 1 Started
2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila
HK $1,000,000 Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila
Buy-in
1,000,000 HKD
Prize Pool
37,073,400 HKD
Entries
39
Level
21
Blinds
50,000 / 10,000
Ante
15,000
The 2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila HK$ 1,000,000 Main Event Kicks off Today
In just over two hours from now, the highlight of the 2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila will get underway at the stunning Solaire Resort and Casino, as Day 1 of the HK$ 1,000,000 Main Event (approximately $128,800) will get underway as of 1 p.m. local time. Some of the biggest names in poker and the high-stakes circuit made the trip over to Manila, following the invitation of Triton Founder Richard Yong and President of Poker King Club Winfred Yu, and they have been greeted with a first-class venue and excellent service.
After being established in 2016, Triton Poker has contributed proceeds from its events to different charities, including the women’s cancer support group, Project Pink and the disaster relief organization, Red Cross. This year, the event has teamed up with luxury watch brand Hublot as the official timekeeper and tournament clock provider, and the next stop of the premium poker brand has already been confirmed to take place in Macau later this year.
It was none other than German wunderkind Fedor Holz who emerged victorious in the first ever $200,000 Triton SHR Series buy in event ever at the Solaire Resort in Manila in January 2016, locking up a payday of $3,072,748 and kicking off an unprecedented year with more than $16,000,000 in tournament cashes in the same year. Dan Cates and Wai Kin Yong followed in his footsteps, and they also made the trip over to the Philippines for this year's festival as well.
In 2016, Yong, the son of Triton Founder and 6-Max bubble boy Richard Yong, took down the HK$ 500,000 Main Event. A total of 44 unique entries and 18 re-entries created a prize pool of HK$ 48,747,650 (approximately $ 6,285,640), and Yong defeated Bryn Kenney in heads-up for his first major title and payday of HK$16,135,550 ($2,080,557). The buy-in has since been doubled, and you can expect these numbers to increase significantly for this Year's edition.
Daniel Colman took down the HK$ 250,000 6-Max Event last night after defeating Erik Seidel in heads up and both are expected to return to the tables today and battle for another big payday.
While Holz may not have appeared yet, the return of poker superstar Phil Ivey to the live high-stakes poker scene was another big talking point of the previous days. He participated in the 6-Max Event and fired two bullets, but busted on Day 1. Among those to cash and take home a portion of the HK$ 10,113,600 were Mikita Badziakouski, Mustapha Kanit, Timofey "Trueteller" Kuznetsov, Sergio Aido and Rainer Kempe.
All of these high-stakes experts are expected to be back in action today for nine levels of 60 minutes each, and unlimited re-entries are available throughout Day 1.
Day 1 Level Structure
| Level | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 500 | 1,000 | 100 |
| 2 | 600 | 1,200 | 200 |
| 3 | 800 | 1,600 | 200 |
| 4 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 300 |
| 5 | 1,200 | 2,400 | 400 |
| 6 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 500 |
| 7 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 500 |
| 8 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 500 |
| 9 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 1,000 |
The registration will close at the start of Day 2 tomorrow, Feb 20, and all participants receive 250,000 in chips. The 2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila Main Event is scheduled to play down to a winner on Tuesday Feb 21, and the PokerNews live reporting team will be on the floor to provide all the action of what is expected to be yet another star-studded field.
The Tournament Will Start Soon
Several players are already roaming around "The Forum" at the Solaire Resort and Casino, and the tournament staff, dealers and hostesses are ready to welcome them. However, cards are not in the air yet, and that is not uncommon for high-stakes tournaments to get things started with a slight delay.
In the meanwhile, let's have a look at the Twitter feed of Jack Salter with a special appearance of Mustapha Kanit:
My mentor came to give me some advice before the big game today. Now feeling ready to crush! https://t.co/hTBTr1U6Bw
— Jack Salter (@jackziyang)
Level: 1
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 100
The First Table Is Running
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Jack Salter, Koray Aldemir, Dan Cates and Rainer Kempe have already been spotted in the tournament area, but not sat down just yet. Five players have done so and they all got seat cards for table one: David Peters, Rui Cao, Mikita Badziakouski, Timofey Kuznetsov and Yu Liang are in action, and the first pot involded Peters and Cao.
The duo checked a flop of 
before Cao bet the 
turn for 4,000 to scoop the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
253,000 | |
|
250,000 | |
|
||
|
250,000 | |
|
250,000 | |
|
248,000 | |
|
||
Cao Starts Hot; Badziakouski Cools Him Off
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
David Peters raised to 2,500 and Yu Liang called in the big blind. The duo checked the 
flop, and Liang check-called a bet worth 2,200 on the 
turn. On the 
river, both checked again and Liang announced king-high, Peters scooped the pot with 
.
Then, Peters raised to 2,500 in the cutoff and Rui Cao called in the big blind. On the 
flop, neither player bet. Cao then made it 4,500 to go on the 
turn and Peters called before the 
river was checked through again. Cao showed for a straight and won the pot.
One hand later, Cao raised to 3,500 from the small blind and Mikita Badziakouski called in the big blind. The flop fell 
and Cao's continuation bet of 3,000 was called. On the 
turn, Cao checked and Badziakouski fired 20,000. That resulted in a smile and headshaking of Cao, who quickly let go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
260,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
252,000
-1,000
|
-1,000 |
|
|
245,000
-3,000
|
-3,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
245,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
Expect the Field to Grow Soon
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Phil Ivey walked into the tournament room and had a quick glance, but opted not to buy in just yet. Pratyush Buddiga and Sergio Aido also joined the crowd of players just outside of the tournament room at the complimentary buffet and once everyone settled, the next table should open.
Badziakouski Starts with Plenty of Aggression
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Fresh off winning a big pot by shoving into Timofey Kuznetsov, Mikita Badziakouski opened to 2,000 and Yu Liang called in the big blind. Kuznetsov and Rui Cao still talked through the previous hand and Cao said "you don't want to bust too fast, it is quite expensive."
The flop came 
and Liang check-called a bet worth 1,500 before doing so again for 4,000 on the 
turn. In the meanwhile, Kuznetsov guessed that Badziakouski might have been bluffing with 
previously and said "damn, I should have called," with a smile on the face.
The current hand was still going on and Liang then bet the river for 10,000. Badziakouski double-checked his cards, shook his head and folded. "There are so many semi-bluffs out there. Six seven. Sixes with spades," he added to Kuznetsov, and has become the early chip leader despite losing the last pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
325,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
255,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
180,000
-70,000
|
-70,000 |
Colman Joins; Peters Folds to Liang
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
6-Max champion Daniel Colman just sat down next to David Peters and saw the latter raise the button with Yu Liang defending his big blind. On the 
turn, Liang checked and Peters bet 8,500. Liang double-checked the bet size twice and check-raised to massive 60,000 in order to force a fold from Peters.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
270,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
250,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
235,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
||
Kuznetsov Pays Off Cao
Level 1
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Timofey Kuznetsov raised to 2,500 from the button and Rui Cao called in the big blind. The duo checked the flop of 
and Cao then bet the ¢3s] turn for 4,500. Kuznetsov called and both started jokingly needling each other with what hands they could have, both smiling.
The fell on the river and Cao checked. "Flush?" Kuznetsov mentioned and bet 22,500. Cao then check-raised big to 75,000 and that caused more table banter. "I have the Erik Seidel hand," Cao joked back and Kuznetsov ultimately called. Cao rolled over his 
for a flopped full house and cut back Kuznetsov's stack significantly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
350,000
98,000
|
98,000 |
|
|
95,000
-85,000
|
-85,000 |